The Rail Safety Summit has brought rail safety professionals together for the last 12 years, providing a unique opportunity for them to network and discuss the latest concerns and developments while hearing from those involved with developing new systems to drive safety up and risk down.
The summit sees expert industry professionals present the latest information and developments within their field of expertise alongside companies exhibiting the most exciting products and services within the rail industry.
This year’s Rail Safety Summit takes place on Tuesday 12 March, at Holywell Park, Loughborough.
Host
Colin Wheeler, railway civil engineer, trustee Robert Stephenson Trust, past editor of Rail Engineer
Colin Wheeler joined the railway in 1967, working for British Rail in Leeds, York, Sheffield and Newcastle upon Tyne. He became a civil engineer for North West England (Manchester and Liverpool) in the 1980’s and subsequently infrastructure engineer InterCity East Coast (Edinburgh to London Kings Cross), prior to privatisation. Until December 2003, he worked as engineering and safety adviser for Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services. Colin was the independent chairman of the Association of On Track Labour Services from its foundation in 1999, continuing as independent chair of the Railway Industry Contractors Association until 2012. He was editor of Rail Engineer from 2004 to 2008.
Confirmed speakers
Andrew Hall, chief inspector, Rail Accident Investigation Branch
Andrew Hall is a chartered engineer and has worked in the rail industry for over 35 years. He has held engineering and engineering project management roles in Britain and overseas. In 2004, Andrew joined the newly formed Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB). After 11 years as a principal inspector, he was appointed deputy chief inspector in 2015 and subsequently, in 2022, chief inspector.
Abigail Patterson, principal operations safety specialist, Network Rail
Abigail Patterson manages Network Rail’s health & safety management System, Safety Validation of organisational change, and operational safety. She is an experienced health & safety professional, and a certified member of IOSH, with over a decade’s experience in a variety of health & safety roles, primarily operational safety. She is deputy chair of the industry’s SPAD risk sub-group and works closely with colleagues across the industry to maintain and improve operational safety performance.
Chris Knowles, director of system safety and health, RSSB
Chris Knowles leads the RSSB’s system safety and health directorate, with responsibility for the development and delivery of the rail industry health and safety strategy. Working with colleagues across RSSB, the directorate defines and delivers transformative safety work for the rail industry in asset management, train operations, occupational safety, public behaviour, and health and wellbeing. A graduate of the University of Liverpool, Chris is a chartered engineer, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and a fellow of the Institute of Asset Management.
James Hammett, managing director, UKTram
James has been involved in the light rail Industry for over 25 years. Having started out as an apprentice engineer he worked his way through the ranks rising to the position of chief engineer, before sampling other areas of the engineering industry. Now, after returning to work full time on the operational side of light rail, he maintains an involvement in its engineering aspects. He currently works as managing director of UKTram, the trade body for the light rail industry in the British Isles, alongside running his own light rail consultancy company, Smarttrams Ltd.
Lord Tony Berkeley OBE
Lord Tony Berkeley is a member of the House of Lords and a civil engineer. He spent 15 years developing and building the Channel Tunnel, followed by chairmanship of the UK Rail Freight Group, the industry representative body. He was a board member and sometime chair of the European Rail Freight Association and was a founder and currently honorary board member of Allrail, the association of independent European rail operators. He is a regular contributor in the House of Lords on rail, competition, and safety of different types of transport.
Richard Hines, HM deputy chief inspector of railways, Office of Rail & Road (ORR)
Currently a deputy chief inspector at the ORR, Richard has been named as the incoming chief inspector of railways and will take up the position in the summer. With a lengthy career in engineering and safety, Richard presently heads up the team of ORR’s non-mainline health and safety inspectors and also oversees the regulator’s responsibilities on the Channel Tunnel. Before initially joining ORR on secondment in 2020 Richard, who began his career in electrical engineering at British Sugar, spent 14 years at the Health and Safety Executive.
Simon Morgan, head of corporate safety, Network Rail
Simon is the head of corporate safety at Network Rail and oversees the national standards and controls team, workforce safety team, the Network Rail safety management system, operational safety, track safety research & development projects, ergonomics, human factors, and safety culture. He Joined Network Rail in 2007 in capital delivery and has managed large portfolios as a capital delivery director on the South East Route. In 2019 he joined the Southern regional team as the QHSE director and moved to the technical authority as head of corporate safety in 2021.
Steve Taylor Cmilt, general manager, Rail Wagon Association (RWA)
Steve Taylor is general manager of the RWA, which has 31 member companies and covers over 95% of the wagons operating in the UK, including the infrastructure fleet. Steve worked in rail operations for British Rail before joining the electricity supply industry in 1990, working in logistics for PowerGen, E.ON, and Drax Power with purchasing rail services being a constant feature. Steve joined the Private Wagon Federation in 2018 as secretary general and was instrumental in its transformation from an unincorporated body into the RWA, a private company limited by guarantee.
Register now
The Rail Safety Summit is a must-attend event for up-to-date rail safety information.
Register now at www.railsummits.com
For further information call us any time on 01530 816 450
